ECP snubs Vawda over absence in dual nationality case

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Wednesday took a strong exception to the continued absence of Minister for Water Resources Faisal Vawda from the disqualification case hearing and asked ‘was he above the law’.

A four-member bench of the ECP resumed hearing in the dual nationality case against Karachi-based Vawda, who is now running for a Senate seat. Member ECP from Punjab Justice (R) Altaf Ibrahim Qureshi, during hearing, asked Vawda’s counsel Muhammad Bin Mohsin, if the ECP’s orders of ‘in person appearance’ had been conveyed to Vawda. And, when the counsel replied in affirmative, Qureshi asked ‘if the Minister was above the law’.

The ECP member then remarked, “he tells so many lies and could have told another that the air ticket was not available. We do not want to set a tradition that gradually empties the parliament. He should have come here to explain when he got his US citizenship revoked”.

He contended that Vawda should have respect for the ECP. To this, his counsel said he could not appear before the Election Commission because his mother was unwell. The lawyer also challenged the ECP’s jurisdiction to hear the dual nationality case against Vawda, but the plea was rejected outright by the ECP bench. The counsel deposited an amount of Rs 50,000 in fine imposed on Vawda during the last hearing, and the Commission directed the amount be donated to Pakistan Sweet Home.